


Jesus Christ, That's a Pretty Face

by lizzicleromance



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Attraction, Boyfriends, Depression, Desus - Freeform, Developing Relationship, Fate, First Kiss, First Meetings, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Internalized Homophobia, Jaryl - Freeform, Longing, Love, M/M, Slow Build
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-16
Updated: 2016-03-16
Packaged: 2018-05-27 02:09:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,165
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6265438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lizzicleromance/pseuds/lizzicleromance
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Do you believe you're missing out,<br/>When everything good is happening somewhere else?<br/>But with nobody in your bed, the night's hard to get through." -- Brand New.</p><p>After things have finally begun to settle down in Alexandria, Daryl Dixon can finally take a moment to relax and catch his breath. He gets much more than he bargained for while he is out on a run with Rick, and his life is never the same again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Jesus Christ, That's a Pretty Face

**Author's Note:**

  * For [doctorkaitlyn](https://archiveofourown.org/users/doctorkaitlyn/gifts).



> So, here's my first attempt at the wonderful world of Desus/Jaryl! I'm basically taking the basic canon storyline and rewriting it just a little bit to support the ideas that I've got for this fic, so please bare with me if some of the characterizations or settings or plot seems a little off... it's supposed to be that way. 
> 
> Also, I sometimes take a long time to build things up, so please be patient with me. A lot of this first chapter is stuff that we already know from years of watching the show, but I included every part of this to get you guys familiar with this particular set of characters that are starring in this fic. 
> 
> Special shoutout to my dearest Kaitlyn, for always being there to swoon over these absolutely amazing characters with me. <3
> 
> *The story title is credited to Brand New for their absolutely perfect song, "[Jesus Christ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDzUV5f2_-4)."

As Daryl Dixon blinked his eyes open for the first time that morning, he couldn’t help but smile. 

He was waking up in the most comfortable bed that he had ever slept on in his entire life. His head was resting peacefully on top of two extra fluffy Queen sized pillows, and though there was a loaded shotgun lying on the nightstand next to him, and a knife hidden under those pillows, waking up this way was something that he never dreamed was possible. 

He turned over to sneak a glance at the little clock radio that sat on his nightstand (next to the shotgun), to see that it was just a little past eight in the morning. Daryl was used to being awake before the sun came up, so used to being on watch or out hunting or out doing something else that contributed to the safety of their group. He was so used to running on all cylinders, all day, every day for the past few years, on nothing more than a few small winks of sleep in the most random, uncomfortable of places. 

Daryl wasn’t sure if he would ever get used to this; waking up in the comfort of his very own bed, in his very own room in this spacious two story house, but he damn sure wasn’t complaining. In fact, his face had broken out into a full-on grin, spreading wide from ear to ear as he took a moment to simply lie there in his big, comfortable bed for just a little while longer. 

It had taken a long time for Daryl to warm up to the idea of giving this shot that they were given here in Alexandria a real try. He was truly afraid to at first, for fear that something would go wrong, and he and his family would have to leave this place and start all over again. Alexandria seemed too good to be true, and sure enough, their little safe haven had been overrun. 

It was now a little over a month since the most recent group of bad guys had attacked their new home, and left their community wide open and vulnerable to a herd of walkers that they had previously been trying to lure away. Their community was left a bloodied mess of charred remains of rotting corpses, broken walls, and broken spirits. It had taken a few very long, seemingly never-ending days, but once the majority of the massacred bodies had been cleaned up, temporary walls/fences had been put up, and the last of the people that they had just lost were buried, the people of Alexandria slowly began to smile again. 

It was almost like a brand new attitude had overtaken the entire community, and it was something that Daryl knew was mainly credited to Maggie. She had stepped up without question into their former leader, Deanna’s role, and was doing an amazing job so far. It’s what Deanna had wanted, and Mrs. Rhee felt that it was only right to honor her by keeping the community going. 

It had been quite a transition for everyone. The remaining residents of Alexandria had all stepped up and started to contribute, proving to everyone that they were more than able to carry their own weight around the community. Since the attack, they had learned to shoot, learned how to handle knives and various other weapons, and had become quite good at defending themselves against the various threats of the world around them.

As for Daryl’s family, it was learning to adapt to having simple luxuries again. Before they found Alexandria, things like hot showers and comfortable beds had been just a distant memory. They were a thing of the past, and Daryl wasn’t foolish enough to think that those simple luxuries could ever exist again. Those were the types of things that Daryl barely had even before the apocalypse, so having them now... after everything they had been through, was something that the hunter was still trying to wrap his mind around. Daryl knew that it was important for them to not ever let their guard down, but it was also important to his family’s well-being to begin adjusting back to those simple luxuries, as well. 

Finding a healthy balance had been harder for Daryl than it had been for anyone else, but on days like today, he was grateful that he didn’t pass up the opportunity that he was so graciously given by Tara and Spencer the night before. 

Daryl was so used to doing anything other than resting or sleeping, that he often worked around the clock, barely stopping for more than a few minutes before jumping right into the next agenda on his list. 

Yesterday, that agenda consisted of a semi-successful hunt that began early in the morning, and ended just before sunset. Tara had met Daryl at the gate, letting him in, and she could see that the man was clearly exhausted from being out in the sun all day. She passed the idea of taking Daryl’s night shift over to Spencer, who immediately volunteered to keep watch with her. The two had shared a special bond since Tara had risked her life to save him when the group first got to Alexandria, and the deal was done. When Daryl had gone up to take his post, Tara and Spencer were already in place, and presented him with the news that his shift had been covered. 

At first, Daryl scoffed at them. The thought of taking some time off was completely ludicrous to him, but the two assured him that everything was taken care of, and that they weren’t taking no for an answer. Daryl simply shrugged, murmured a ‘thank you,’ and began to head back to his house. Denise was waiting for him at his doorstep, and presented him with a familiar looking casserole dish. 

“I got the recipe from Carol, I hope you like it,” She explained, to which Daryl cracked a small smile. 

“’m sure I will,” he replied to her, knowing that if it was inspired by Carol, it would undoubtedly be delicious. “Thanks for this.” 

Denise grinned brightly at him, before leaving Daryl to his own devices. 

Upon entering the door to his home, Daryl didn’t know what to do with himself. He briefly considered going over to see what Rick was up to, or going over to Aaron and Eric’s to play cards, but before he even realized it, sheer exhaustion had begun to set in. He wolfed down the delicious meal that Denise had made for him, before crawling into bed, and passing out. 

It had been such a long time since he was able to go to bed with a full belly, as well as sleeping the entire night through without having to wake up to kill a walker that was lurking off in the distance. As Daryl continued to lay there on his plush pillowtop mattress, he couldn’t help but smile once again. 

While the people of Alexandria weren’t quite what he would consider family, they were his friends. It was such an odd concept for the hunter, to have people around him that he considered actual friends. 

Before the dead began to walk the earth, the company that he and his brother Merle used to keep hardly resembled anything close to being a friend. Money would typically go missing from his wallet, and things that went missing would later turn up for sale at the pawn shop up the road from the trailer that he and Merle lived in. 

Carol was the first true friend that Daryl had ever had. She was the first person in his entire life to see that he was more than just Merle’s shadow, because for the first time in his life... he was. She saw the good in him; the part that he originally tried so hard to keep hidden. 

Growing up with Merle and his father had Daryl screwed up for a really long time. He was fearful to let anyone get too close to him, and adopted an attitude that was similar to Merle’s in hopes that it would keep people away from him. And for the most part, it did... 

That is, until Merle was gone. 

It was incredibly painful for Daryl to realize that the only family he had left was gone, because no matter how vile Merle could be, Merle was still his brother. He was related by blood, which is something that Merle would constantly throw in his face every time Daryl would do something nice for the group back in Atlanta, back before his brother was left on that rooftop... back before he met Rick. 

It’s crazy for Daryl to think that there was ever a time before Rick was in his life. It was no coincidence to him that in the same day he lost Merle, he also met Rick, and though Rick was not related to him by blood, Daryl knew that he was more of a brother to him than Merle ever was to him in his whole life. He felt the same way about Glenn, respecting the hell out of the kid for being one of the smartest, wittiest, and most brave people that he had ever met. 

Rick and Glenn were the types of brothers that Daryl always wished he had back when he was growing up, and he loved Carl and baby Judith as if they were his own children. Rick had even gone as far as to name Daryl as her godfather, an honor that he was more than thrilled to have. 

Carol and Maggie were the two main women in his life. Both of them had both lost so much, but they had also gained a whole hell of a lot since the first time he met them as ‘the battered housewife’ and ‘the farmer’s daughter.’ They were without a doubt the strongest women that Daryl had ever met, and though he’s never admitted this out loud, he’s damn proud of them for how far they had come over the last few years. 

He felt the same sense of pride for Tara and Sasha, too. Daryl wasn’t as close to them as he was to Maggie and Carol, but that didn’t mean he didn’t respect them any less. Sasha had been through hell and back after losing her brother and her boyfriend, back to back. Like Daryl, Sasha was finally beginning to settle into their newfound home. He was very happy to see her smiling again, happy to hear her laughing again. 

He had seen Tara that day back at the prison when the Governor had attacked them, and saw that she wasn’t like the rest of his people that got exactly what they deserved. She was a sweet girl, and he was happy that she was a part of their family now. Daryl actually saw a lot of himself in her, and though he would never admit this out loud, he wished more often than not that he could be a little bit more like her. 

Daryl had known that he preferred guys over girls for as long as he could remember, and he wished more than anything that he could be open and free about his sexuality, without worrying about what anyone would say about him if they knew his secret. He knew that it was stupid to still have this very important detail about himself hidden, but he wasn’t ready to come out to anyone with this just yet. 

Daryl wasn’t sure if he would ever be ready... it might be a secret that he takes with him to the grave, and though he doesn’t intend for that day to happen any time in the near future, the youngest Dixon brother still hasn’t worked up the courage to talk to anyone about the things that he has been hiding deep down inside of him for so long. 

The only member of his family that might have any sort of clue about his secret would be Michonne. Daryl could never put in to words just how grateful he was to that woman for coming in to their lives the way she did. He had never really believed in fate until he saw her that very first day, standing outside of the prison gates with a basket of baby formula, surrounded by walkers, with the news that Maggie and Glenn had been taken hostage by none other than his own brother. He doesn’t ever want to think about what could have happened if their paths hadn’t crossed that day, and was beyond grateful that his goddaughter, the ‘Little Asskicker’, didn’t go hungry that day, that they were able to rescue Glenn and Maggie from Woodbury, and that he was able to be reunited with his brother, even if just for a little while.

Though Merle fell victim to the Governor, his little group was stronger than ever, now that Michonne had joined forces with them. From the very beginning, Daryl saw how she kept Rick in line, and helped keep Carl in good spirits. Losing Lori had been hard on both of them, especially Carl, but Michonne was incredibly kind and understanding, warm and nurturing, but she also wasn’t afraid to put either of them in their place. She was exactly what they needed, and has steadily been the key to keeping the Grimes men from losing themselves, and their sanity, and this was something that Daryl could never repay her for. 

Now that the rebuilding process was well underway in Alexandria, and things were slowly getting back to normal, there was cause for celebration all around them. Rick and Michonne had finally admitted their feelings for each other and were now a couple, and Glenn and Maggie had announced that they are expecting a little baby of their own. It was nothing short of a miracle that despite all they had been through, they had survived. 

Daryl had survived. 

And that to him, was almost a bigger miracle than getting to sleep in for the first time in what felt like years. 

So with that thought in mind, Daryl rolled over so that he could glance at the alarm clock again, and nearly jumped out of bed when he realized what time it was. He had been so lost in his thoughts, he had failed to realize that almost an entire hour had gone by since he had first woken up. 

He hurriedly brushed his teeth and pulled on some fresh clothes, before stepping out onto his front porch to light up his first cigarette of the day. 

The hunter gave a small smile as he waved hello to his next door neighbor Aaron, who happened to be one of those good friends that he feels lucky enough to have. Daryl was grateful to the well mannered, well dressed man every day, for recruiting him and his family that fateful day out on the road right when he was about to give up hope. Daryl can’t help but to sigh out at the memory, and felt his breath hitch within his throat as he watched his neighbor’s boyfriend, Eric, come up from behind to surprise Aaron with a bone-crushing hug. 

Within seconds, Aaron was in a fit of laughter as he turned around in Eric’s thin arms, greeting his boyfriend with what looked to be a mouth-watering kiss.

Daryl forced himself to look away, just in time for his eyes to land upon Carl and his new girlfriend Enid, walking hand in hand through the field across the street from him. 

Sighing yet again, he willed himself to move from under the safety of his front porch, and began to make his way over to Rick and Michonne’s house. He took an extra long hit off of his cigarette, and foolishly tried his best to suck down the all too familiar feeling that’s begun to settle deep within his gut; that giant, never-ending void that he has felt in his heart for damn near his entire life... 

As Daryl took the final hit of his cigarette, he did his best to shake that awful feeling aside, but it was absolutely no use. Even though his family was safe, and their friends were safe... somehow, it still wasn’t enough for him. 

Sure, Daryl was happy that they were happy... new love was in full bloom all around him; Carol with Tobin, Rosita with Spencer, Sasha with Abraham. Hell, even Carl had a girlfriend. Everyone around him seemed to be paired up with someone, and even though Daryl is used to being a loner... for once in his life, he wished more than anything that he wasn’t so alone anymore. He wished for someone to look at him the way that Glenn looked at Maggie, and for someone to not only hold his hand, but to squeeze it, just to let him know that they are there. He wanted for someone to kiss him and mean it, for someone to hold him tight and to--

“Hey Daryl,” a friendly voice called out to him, which yanked the younger Dixon brother right out of his thoughts. 

“’Mornin’,” Daryl replied gruffly, hoping to hide the fact that he was yet again drowning in such deep thoughts from his best friend. 

“I was just about to come find you,” Rick greeted with a warm smile.

“For?” Daryl asked, intrigued.

“Well, Glenn and I were supposed to go on a run this afternoon, but Maggie’s feelin’ extra under the weather today and he doesn’t wanna leave her-” 

“I’m in,” Daryl cut in immediately, to which Rick broke out in to a wide grin. 

“It’s been awhile since we’ve had a day to ourselves,” Rick mused, to which Daryl nodded. 

“Yeah, it has,” Daryl replied, as Rick clapped a hand over his shoulder.

“Meet me at the gate in about an hour. We’ll head out then, unless you’ve got something else to do today?” 

“Nah, ain’t got nothin’ else goin’ on today,” Daryl actually smiled, knowing that he wasn‘t going to be spending the day bored to tears, looking for something-- anything, to do. “Just gonna get a few things for the trip, I’ll meet ya in an hour.”

Rick gave a small nod, and the two parted ways. 

When Daryl made it back to his house, he quickly gathered everything that he would need for the day, including the knife from under his pillow, and the gun from his nightstand. 

He wasn’t sure what it was that suddenly had him in such a great mood, but whatever it was, he damn sure was going to try his best to hang on to that feeling for as long as he could. If at the very least, he and Rick were about to go on an adventure, and he couldn’t wait to see what the day had in store for them.

**Author's Note:**

> Second chapter ft. Jesus, coming up asap!  
> What did you think? :D


End file.
